Piston ring tool



July 13, 1948. H. M. BRAMBERRY, sR 2,444,975

PISTON RING TOOL Filed March 14, *1945 r Uh IN VEN TOR. Hcufry M Brallzbeny, 51: BY

A 7' TORN E Y5 Patented July 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PISTON RING TOOL Harry M. Bramberry, Sr., New Castle, Ind.

Application March 14, 1945, Serial No. 582,663

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to piston ring tools and more particularly to adevice for applying or removing piston rings from the ring-receiving grooves of pistons.

Various arrangements have heretofore been proposed for assembling and removing piston rings from pistons and certain of these devices have been so formed as to spread the ends of the rings apart so'that they may be held and slipped over the top of the piston. However, such devices have included a multiplicity of parts which require time-consuming adjustments and such con-- structions could not be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

It is accordingly one of the objects of the present invention to provide a novel structure, for applying and removing split piston rings from pistons, which is of relatively simple construction, and which may be quickly and economically manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple construction for removing and applying piston rings to pistons which may be readily grasped by the operator and applied to the ring, without requiring any adjustments whatsoever.

A further object resides in the provision of a pair of similarly constructed parts which the operator may apply to the ends of the piston ring and easily manipulate to spread the ends apart so that the ring may be opened and slipped over the top of the piston.

Still another object resides in providing a pair of tools, each including a one-piece construction provided with thumb and finger receiving thimbles or sockets into which the thumb and a finger of the operator is fitted, so that the tools can be associated with the piston ring for spreading the ends apart and opening the ring in a rapid and effective manner.

A still further object provides a novel construction in a tool of the foregoing character which includes a part for engaging the end of the piston ring, the part being so formed as to prevent the end from slipping, as the ring is opened for removal or assembly,

Another object resides in providing a novel arrangement whereby the size of the thimbles may be quickly changed for different operators, the construction being such that the thimbles frictionally grip the thumb and finger of the operator, thus preventing the tool from slipping off.

Other objects and novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is'illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is utilized for purposes of illustration only and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this pur pose, to the appended claim.

In the drawing, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of piston ring removing and applying mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, and illustrating the method of using the mechanism in removing a piston ring from the groove of a piston;

Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the tools;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the tool;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, partial view in section, taken substantially along line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and illustrating a portion of one end of a piston ring;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the thumb-engaging thimble of one of the tools, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and illustrates the cooperation between the projection of the tool and one end of the piston ring.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the novel piston ring'tool mechanism of the present invention is illustrated therein as comprising a pair of tools In and i2 adapted to be grasped by the operator and readily applied to a piston ring l4 within a ring groovelfi, in order to spread the ends of the ring apart, so that the ring may beopened and removed from the groove and slipped over the piston l8 without marring or injuring the ring. Since each of the tools Ill and I2 are exactly similar in construction, one tool only will be described in detail in the following description.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, the tool 12, for example, comprises an elongated, flexible metal band 20, which may be formed from spring steel, and which is preferably curved in a manner generally conforming to the curvature of the piston ring. The band, due to its curvature conforms generally to an arc of a circle. The length of the band, to obtain satisfactory results, need not exceed one-fourth of the circumference of this circle. However, the tools may be made in different lengths in order to provide the most desirable adaptability for various ring sizes. The opposite ends of the band are provided with sockets or thimbles 22 and 24 for respectively receiving th thumb and a finger of the operator, as shown in Fig. 1. The thumb-receiving end of the tool is so formed as to provide an inwardly directed portion or lug 26 having a cupped surface for engaging the end of the piston ring 16, as will be clearly observed from Figs. 4 and 6. That portion 2!, of the band '20 which is adjacent the thimble 24 is also cupped outwardly to readily locate the tool centrally with respect to the exterior surface of the ring. Thus, with the thumbs and fingers of the operator, inserted within the respective thimbles 22 and 24, it will be seen from Fig. 1 that the tools may be readily applied to the piston ring I6, the lugs 26 engaged with the ends of the ring, and the latter opened by the mere spreading apart of the hands of the operator.

In addition to the foregoing general arrangement of parts, the present invention also includes a novel construction which permits ready. manufacture of the tool as well as a Wide measure of adjustment of the thimbles 22 and 24 to accommodate the tool for operation by different operators. More particularly, the tool may be stamped froma single sheet of steel or other metal to provide. pairs of ears 28,30 and 32, .Bdat opposite endsthereof, the respective pairs being thereafter shaped to provide the thimbles '22 .and 24 projectingoutwardly from the band 28', as illustrated. Moreover, the lug 26 is stamped out of one end of the band, leaving the opening 36, the ears 28 and'3ll being integrally connected with the band as by means of strips 38 and 40, Fig. 5. After the lug is formed, as above set forth, it is bent upwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 4 and is so shaped as to provide the curved or cupped surface, forengaging the end of the piston ring, as

illustrated in Fig. 6.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing that since-thethimbles 22 and 24 are formed of flexible ears 28, 30 and 32, 34 respectively, the shape and size of the thimbles may be readily varied.- Such a construction hence enables the size of the thimbles to be quickly adjusted at will so that the tools may be readily rendered suitable 4. removing split piston rings to or from a piston. Preferably the parts are integrally formed; but it will be understood that, if desired, the thimbles for different operators. It will therefore only be necessary to supply tools of a given size only, rather than to manufacture a plurality of sizes to fit fingers and thumbs of operators having widely different proportions.

In utilizing the invention for the purpose of opening a piston ring to assemble or remove it from a piston, the operator inserts his thumbs and fingers in the thimbles .22 and 24, and applies the tools to the ring l6, in-the manner shown in Fig. l, the lugs 26 being inserted within the free joint opening of the ring. Thereafter it is only necessary for the operator to move his hands apart, to engage the lugs 26 with the ring ends and to open the ring, whereupon the latter may be slipped over the top of the piston. It will be understood, that prior to use, the thimbles 22 and Marc adjusted to suit the size of the operators thumbs and fingers, and preferably the size should be such that a snug, frictional engagement is secured whenthe thumbs and fingers are placed within the thimbles.

There has thus been provided by the present invention a novel ring tool which is of relatively simple and economical construction and 'Which may be readily employed for either applying or may be separately constructed and secured to the band 20 in any suitable manner. Moreover, while the band 20 is preferably initially curved to the approximate contour of the piston ring, it will be appreciated that this part may be but slightly curved or even provided with no curvature at all, since the flexibility of this part is sufficient so that it may be made to readily conform to rings of different sizes by the application of slight pressure on the part of the operator. Moreover while an all-metal construction is preferred, the tool may be made of any suitable material having sufficient flexibility for the purposes outlined. It is alsocontemplated that in lieu of the thimbles 22' and 24, the band 20 may be provided with projections of other shapes adapted to cooperate with the thumbs and fingers of the op erator, or if desired, thumb-receiving thimbles only may be utilized, the. invention in its broadest aspect comprehending the provisionof any suitable type of thumb and/or fingerrcooperating elements which project outwardly from the band 20.

Various other changes, as will now appearto those skilled inthe art, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the inve tion... Referen-ce will thereforebe had to the appended claim for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is: V

A single piece tool for use in applying thrust against one end of a split piston ring, comprising an elongated metal strip longitudinally curved on the arc of .a circle, the length of said strip being less than one-fourthiof the circumference of the circle, thumb and finger receiving thimbles formed integrally with the strip atthe opposite ends thereof and projecting from the convex side of the curved strip at substantially right angles thereto, and a ring engaging member formed integrally with said strip and projecting from the concave side thereof at the end provided with the thumb receiving thimble and extending in the opposite direction from said thimble, the strip at the end thereof opposite said ring engaging member beingytransversely concave throughout a longitudinally-extending portion thereof by means of which the tool may be located with respect to the exterior surface of the ring.

' HARRY M. BRAMBERRY, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the.

file of this. patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 48,354 Asmus Jan. 27, 1865 931,511 Southworth Aug. 1'7, 1909 1,054,347 Harper Feb. 25, 1913 1,071,934 MacKinnon Sept. 2, 1913 1,278,719 Muhleisen Sept. 10, 1918 1,444,981 Nelson Feb, 13, 1928 2,160,652 Feigh May 30, 1939 

